


Like You Would For Me

by I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of battle, Blood, F/M, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Jedi Killing Named Clones, Named Clones Killing Jedi, Order 66, Prolonged Death, Rex's Chip Functions, Unhappy Ending, gratuitous pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-16 22:34:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11262408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning/pseuds/I_Gave_You_Fair_Warning
Summary: Where Anakin wasn't going to be part of Sidious' plan... kill him fast is the plan. He and Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are fighting on Concordia against the Separatists.





	Like You Would For Me

**Author's Note:**

> Something from the vaults that's been sitting around a very long time. I just did a light go-over, but it's pretty much as it was originally written, years ago. I was new to this kind of writing (fan fiction), then.
> 
> This is another story where the end point is Obi-Wan dying. There is no point in making you wonder, since the main question of this plot isn't “will he die” but “how will he respond to going, and how will those around him respond?” Also: Ahsoka dies. If you're not comfortable with either of those things, you may want to leave now. 
> 
>  
> 
> Courtesy Notice for Character Misrepresentation: The clones are behaving because of the chips, and Palpatine is the badguy, so I think I'm in the clear on this one.
> 
>  
> 
> Inapplicable Quote:  
> Another one from Glee. The bully Karofsky is menacing some of the Glee kids, and Santana is standing up to him.  
> “...  
> 'It's none of your business, J Lo.'  
> 'First of all, anything you do became my business when you decided to toss that slushee up in my grill.'  
> 'I think I can take a couple of queers and a girl.'  
> 'Heh. Okay. See, here's what's gonna go down. Two choices. You stay here and I crack one of your nuts, right or left— that's your choice— or you walk away and live to be a douche bag another day. Oh, and also: I have razor blades hidden in my hair. Mm-hmm. Tons. Just all up in there.'  
> ...”
> 
> And oh, the look on the bullies' faces.

 

 

The last clone was dead.

They had survived.

He and Obi-Wan.

He knew Obi-Wan was hurt, had felt it through the Force, but he'd been too focused to evaluate—

But now they needed to deal with that.

He  _ couldn't  _ focus on Ahsoka's body, lying twisted and riddled full of burned holes not far away.

Anakin turned and saw Obi-Wan standing still. His lightsaber lay on the ground, extinguished. His body... his body was shivering with pain...

And the expression on his face—

Utter shock.

Anakin had known Obi-Wan was hurt.

Now he knew it was bad.

His master's knees buckled and he dropped to the ground. His body smacked the hard dirt without even an attempt to break his fall.

Terror electrified Anakin's blood and he sprinted towards his master.  _ No, no, no, no! _

He dropped next to Obi-Wan.

Anakin's heart thundered in his ears, his vision tunneled, he gathered Obi-Wan in his arms.

No— he  _ couldn't  _ be—

He could feel his master in the Force... wavering... the edges blurring... fading...

_ Dying _ .

He had held his mother as she died. Qui-Gon was dead. Ahsoka too.

The entire Order had been wiped out in the space of ten minutes.

But  _ not _ —

_ Please  _ no— anything but—  _ no _ —

Weren't things bad enough without him being forced to lose—

“Obi-Wan,” he begged. “ _ Obi-Wan. _ ”

“An—” Obi-Wan struggled to breathe. “Ana— kin—”

“ _ Master _ . Focus. Focus on your wounds. You're a healer. You're—”

“The children.” Obi-Wan's voice had no sound, but wasn't a whisper. The full loss of air from lungs. “The  _ children _ —”

“I feel them, Obi-Wan,” Anakin returned, his voice broken, tears rolling down his cheeks.

“The Jedi  _ gone _ —  _ all  _ of them— the younglings—”

“Can you feel Master Yoda?”

“I— I don't know.”

“I can't tell either.” Grief threatened to overwhelm Anakin. “Palpatine betrayed us.”

And that thought was stabbing horror.

He had  _ trusted  _ him... counted him a close friend. Not as close as Obi-Wan, but close, and he had wiped out the Jedi. Stabbed them in the back.

He had created the clones simply for this purpose.

It burned within Anakin.

He could feel his master fading, his agony increasing, breathing becoming more difficult.

“Anakin—”

“Don't talk,” Anakin urged. “Focus your strength on staying with me, Obi-Wan.  _ Stay with me _ .”

Obi-Wan looked up into his eyes, his own glassy, breath rattling in his throat, as though struggling past liquid.

“I'm gonna get you out of here. We'll keep the Jedi Order alive. We won't let it die. We'll find Master Yoda— he  _ can't  _ have died— and—”

Red froth bubbled along Obi-Wan's lips.

Anakin had seen that before, on the rooftop on Coruscant after the crash.

The day Obi-Wan would have died if the Temple healers had not gotten there in time.

There were no healers now. And might never be again.

The Jedi had been slaughtered. They were gone.

Ahsoka was dead, Rex was dead, Palpatine had betrayed him, almost every friend he cared about was dead. All of them except for Padmé and Obi-Wan...

And now Obi-Wan was dying in his arms.

He was alone.

It was over.

And the Sith ruled the galaxy.

“No,” he choked, tears streaming from his eyes. “ _ No _ —”

Obi-Wan struggled to retain consciousness.

“I need you— you can't—  _ don't leave me _ ,” Anakin begged in anguish. “Don't leave me.”

Obi-Wan's pain resonated within him. Tearing. Blinding. Relentless. Killing.

“Call— Satine.”

“Satine? Right. Right—” Anakin fumbled with his comlink and activated it. “She'll bring help.”

“Tell her— to hurry.”

“Duchess. It's Skywalker. I need you here right now. Obi-Wan's... dying. Get here  _ fast  _ and call for a medic _. _ ”

Maybe Satine could hold his master to life until help could arrive.

Obi-Wan focused on collecting his draining strength. Guarding it... waiting...

Anakin could feel him doing it. Knowing he was readying himself for one last expenditure.

“Don't you dare try anything. Just rest. Rest, Master. It's going to be all right. I swear. I'm not letting you die here.”

Obi-Wan didn't appear to be hearing him.

And then a small speeder skidded to a halt nearby. Satine leaped from it and raced to them. She fell to her knees beside Anakin instantly, oblivious to the blood that the fibers of her immaculate outfit began to wick up. “Obi-Wan!”

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and looked deeply into her eyes. “We've... been betrayed...”

“I know,” she said softly. “I heard the whole thing. I saw the Chancellor's hologram.”

She didn't say  _ I told you so. _

“I know you would give me a small, hyperspace capable ship... help me escape here and go to ground somewhere else...”

“Of course, Obi-Wan, but you're in no shape to go anywhere just yet,” Satine soothed, fingers working with a small knife to remove the charred tunics so she could access the wounds. “We'll hide you here until—”  
“You don't  _ understand _ ,” he choked, reaching up and clenching a fistful of her sleeve in his bloodied hand. Her knifework froze so she wouldn't accidentally stab him. He struggled to speak.

“Master,  _ rest, _ ” Anakin commanded, almost beside himself with worry. “Talk later. I  _ mean it _ , Obi-Wan!”

“Do it— for Anakin.”

Satine nodded, the grave promise of one warrior to another. “Of course.”

“I am  _ not  _ leaving you, Master,” Anakin growled.

But Obi-Wan didn't respond... just let his tired— so tired—eyes close.

He had used his reserve, and and he had accomplished what he'd needed to do.

“Don't throw your life away,” Obi-Wan whispered. “The galaxy needs you now more than ever.” His voice was barely audible. A breath. “Please, Anakin. Live for me. Don't let the Sith— rule forever—”

“You're going to help me topple them,” Anakin choked, tears rolling down his face. “Just stay with me, Obi-Wan. I can't do it alone. You know I can't. We might be the only Jedi still alive—”

Obi-Wan's head lolled to the side and he gasped in pain. Satine's fingers continued their work.

Anakin stared at them while he pleaded. “Obi-Wan, we're a team. You and me. We're staying  _ together _ , you hear me? You can't just leave me. I can't take on the whole galaxy without you—”

And then the tunics were no longer obscuring, and Anakin saw a wound he couldn't understand. Impact, fire, blood— what weapon could cause something that looked like it ran  _ beneath  _ his skin—

Satine pressed her fingers against an area ribs should have held up. It sagged in. Obi-Wan hissed.

Anakin hated the look that entered her eyes. It was  _ knowing,  _ compassionate.

Final.

Sheathing her knife, Satine pressed her right hand against Obi-Wan's cheek, since his fingers were still tangled in her left sleeve. He leaned into her fingers.

“Obi-Wan,” she murmured. “Look at me.”

“I know,” he whispered. “Bail Organa. He will help you. Don't trust anyone but Bail and Padmé in the Senate. The Senate will comply with the Sith out of fear, if not of free will—”

“ _ Obi-Wan _ ,” Anakin remonstrated—

“But Bail will  _ not  _ betray you—”

His pain flared in a violent explosion. His back arched, his head thrown back, he gasped at the sky, the pain so intense it was impossible to give it voice. His body convulsed, and his eyes rolled in his head.

“The medic has painkillers!” Anakin barked.

Kix.

Who had attacked them. Just like the rest.

But he couldn't think of the colossal betrayal now. Not now.

Obi-Wan writhed uncontrollably, locked in pain.

“Qui-Gon.” His voice shivered. “ _ Master _ —”

Anakin watched him in horror, holding him closer, as though to brace him against the terrible tremors. He remembered moments when he had been the one stretched out, struggling in overwhelming pain and simply calling Obi-Wan's name... and that word... Master.

But Obi-Wan had been alive, and most often, able to respond.

Able to ease Anakin's pain a little, or at least bring his spirit strength. Ease him into a healing trance, where pain was meaningless.

His master had lost  _ his _ master.

Had held him in his arms and begged him to live while he faded and died... felt his pain... made him promise to take care of Anakin, to train him...

The tears came harder.

And now Obi-Wan had made Satine promise to take care of Anakin.

He cursed himself. No, maybe he wasn't to blame in either case,  _ but _ ...

Satine crashed next to him again, a small syringe in her hand. She placed the hypo against Obi-Wan's shoulder and pressed it in, but no relief seemed to come to him.

None at all.

If anything, his struggle became more hellish.

Anakin trembled under the weight of his master's agony. He felt it screaming through him.

Felt that Obi-Wan could see no end to the tunnel. Was drowning in the pain... in his own blood...

Unsure of what to do, feeling devastating helplessness, he placed his hand against the side of his master's face.

And like with Satine, Obi-Wan responded. He pressed his skull into his friend's hand. He panted, choking in pain, and his head shivered uncontrollably against the bloodied fingers...

But somehow...

The comradery helped him bear the pain. His mind, far below consciousness and yet not free from reality, latched on to his former Padawan's presence. Steady. Compassionate. Loyal.

“Master,” he gasped again.

Anakin's heart tore.

“Can you relieve him?” Satine asked.

“I'm not a healer!” Desperation flared. Fear. Anger at his inability. He wasn't strong enough to save his mother.

And he wasn't strong enough to save—

_ No!  _

He couldn't let himself think it.

Obi-Wan, through his smothering fog of pain sensed his Padawan's agony. He grasped the wrist of the hand holding his head against sheer insanity and squeezed tight.

If their situations had been reversed, Anakin knew that Obi-Wan would have been able to relieve his pain. But  _ he  _ could do  _ nothing  _ for his master, except hold him while life shuddered and tore... the claws of death ripping into it and shredding it.

And he knew there could be only one outcome.

His master wouldn't survive.

It was a mercy that it was so.

“Master,” Anakin murmured, voice choked. He studied the face that would so soon be sealed in death.

He could deny it until the second Obi-Wan died...

Or he could try to embrace Obi-Wan's final moments.

“Master, I'm sorry— so sorry— for all the trouble and worry I've caused you over the years. You were the best master I could have had. You kept your promise to Qui-Gon fully. His trust was well founded. I— I have been arrogant and unthankful, I've ignored your wisdom; I've hurt you in many ways and I'm so sorry, Obi-Wan.”

Blood was draining from Obi-Wan's clenched teeth.

“You... really are my best friend,” Anakin whispered.

Obi-Wan's fingers squeezed his wrist tighter. The older Jedi was unable to speak.

“I will try to follow your example. Live up to your expectations. And... and... if Satine ever needs me, I will help her. I promise, Obi-Wan.”

But he could feel Obi-Wan slipping. Falling...

Obi-Wan made one powerful but pitiful attempt to reach the surface again... to stay...

He touched Anakin's mind one last time... a feeble, tiny impress... trying to convey his pride, and faith in Anakin... his gratitude that Anakin was with him in his last moments... he had always hoped that would be the case...

Then he was gone.

And Anakin was left holding a broken body, whose grip on his wrist had loosened, whose head now pressed against his hand as a deadweight.

He blinked hard, trying to steady his breathing, but he choked on his own agony.

Satine had silent tears ghosting down her face. She took the other limp hand and pressed it against her lips.

Rex. Kix. Jesse. Appo. Cody. Boil.

He knew all their names. How many missions had they run together?

And now they'd done this.

And were all dead.

But they had stolen his master from him. The man he would have died in a heartbeat to save.

And he hadn't been strong enough to prevent it.

A vision crashed into him, staggering his mind.

 

* * *

 

_ He saw the clones turn as one and begin firing. Only the barest flicker in the Force alerted of danger... _

_But none of betrayal._

_They were just following orders._

_Ahsoka fell without a sound, without even drawing her lightsaber. He saw the blaster bolts tear through her body, her head... saw her strike the ground with brutal finality face-first. Her body jerked as the clones circled closer and continued to pour bolt upon bolt into her._

_Shredding her._

She's dead _ , he wanted to scream at them _ . Leave her alone!

_But they knew the Jedi could fake death._

_They weren't taking any chances._

_And if they knew one thing..._

_It was how to take a Jedi down._

_And Jedi all across the galaxy fell as Ahsoka did. The vast majority of them fell without a protest. Their bodies flailing with continued blaster fire as they struck railings... fell into deep water... collapsed beneath tanks... were consumed in detonated charges..._

_He could hear each individual death rising as a roar in the Force..._

_Ki-Adi-Mundi..._

Bant,  _ his master's friend from his youngling days... _

_Garen, another of Obi-Wan's youngling friends..._

_Luminara Unduli..._

_Aayla Secura..._

_Mace Windu..._

_Agen Kolar..._

_Kit Fisto..._

_Stass Allie..._

Children...

_ Padawan Bene... _

Younglings...

_ Petro... _

_Tera Sinube..._

_Jocasta Nu..._

_Countless others, so many others..._

_All others._

_He watched himself and Obi-Wan respond in shocked horror as the first blaster bolts plowed through air..._

_Obi-Wan had his back to his men... and they were close. The bolts that tore into him would have taken down any nonJedi. But he kept his feet, spun around while igniting his lightsaber, and deflected bolts as he tried to take in what was happening._

“Cody! Have you lost your mind?”

_ But even as he asked, he knew what had happened. _

_Palpatine was the Sith Lord Sidious. The master._

_And he had issued an order to slaughter the Jedi._

_Obi-Wan could feel them dying... it weakened him further..._

_The Sith was no longer hiding, instead, proudly proclaiming his identity and victory through the Force._

_ “Cody! You  _ know me _! What is this—” _

_“Good soldiers follow order, Sir,” snarled back the voice he knew so well..._

_The line Tup had raved._

_Fives had been right._

_He had been so right._

_He had died trying to warn them, and Anakin had disregarded him._

_Obi-Wan crashed to his knees, looking up at his men in resigned horror._

_Not far away, Anakin had been facing his men... prepping them for the next stage of the mission..._

_When a call came through only on the clone troopers' links._

_“Execute Order 66.”_

_Rex had frozen, horror surging through him._

_But his men had moved as one._

_Blasters were already held ready..._

_They aimed and fired in the blink of an eye._

_Anakin deflected most, but one bolt seared through his left upper arm._

_ “ _ What the hell do you think you're doing _?” he had yelled at them, deflecting shots wide so they wouldn't injure his men. _

_But suddenly he knew._

_Palpatine— Sidious._

_Clones—the Jedi Order— and Order 66..._

_And all the Jedi across the galaxy dropping slaughtered._

_And he knew something more._

_He wouldn't be able to get away from his men. Obi-Wan was hurt._

_The only way to escape, to survive..._

_Was to take them down._

_Hurt or kill them._

_And these... it took only a scan of their minds to realize..._

_Were not the men he knew and loved. These were mindless monsters, set to kill anyone the Sith Lord commanded._

_He couldn't let them live._

_He began deflecting fire back into the men. They broke to find cover..._

_All except Rex, who stood staring at his general with a broken look on his face._

_He looked like a lost child._

_ “What's going on, Rex?” Anakin snarled. “Are you with me or with _ them _?” _

_ “Good soldiers follow orders,” he choked. “But you— you—  _ can't _ be a traitor to the Republic... can you?” _

_ “ _ Me _?” Anakin thundered. “Have you gone _ insane _? We've been betrayed!” _

_Rex's blaster rose in shaking hands._

_ Even _ Rex—

_ Even Rex. _

_If Anakin was going to be able to help any surviving Jedi, he had to make it so no one could tell what had happened here. It would hopefully give him the time he needed..._

_“Please, Sir,” Rex's voice begged. “Kill me. I— I can't— Good soldiers—”_

_They'd all lost it. Completely lost it._

_All ability to think for themselves._

_Rex was well on his way to insanity, trying to break against it._

_Anakin closed his mind to memories and wiped those who used to be his men out. Obi-Wan was in desperate trouble, and they would get in his way, Obi-Wan could die— they wouldn't let him go._

_He fell on Cody's men from behind. He felt each one's death in the Force, knew his name. Closed his mind and heart to the colossal betrayal._

_He cleaved his way through, and flung himself to Obi-Wan's side._

_Obi-Wan was on his knees, the clones surrounding him. His breathing was jagged._

_They were closing in for the kill._

_The look on Obi-Wan's face seared into Anakin's mind._

_ The look that said _ so this is how it ends.

_ Obi-Wan struggled to his feet and the two stood back-to-back. _

_Anakin had lived it once, and now he could see so much more..._

_Cody's men closing in..._

_And the tank turning to face them..._

_Heedless of the clones in the way..._

_It fired._

_The look on Obi-Wan's face changed to one of determination._

_The massive bolt cut down the men in its path... and blazed towards Obi-Wan's chest and Anakin's back._

_His master dropped his lightsaber and caught the blast in the Force, slowing it just enough so that it expended its full fury straight into himself, instead of passing through and killing Anakin._

_His body twisted. The force of the blast dissipated where it could, breaking everything within._

_Anakin, not knowing Obi-Wan had just saved his life, wiped out the clones closing in, destroying them._

_And then the blast was over, and Obi-Wan stood still, frozen in place, held up by desperation and adrenaline as Anakin Force-leaped over his head and bounded to the tank, where he killed the operating clones._

_And then there was silence._

_Silence so deep it could be felt._

_Anakin turned and saw the shocked look on Obi-Wan's face, saw him shivering..._

_He hadn't known Obi-Wan had just saved him._

_But he had known Obi-Wan was hurt._

_Bad._

_His knees buckled, and he dropped to the ground. His body smacked the hard dirt without even an attempt to break his fall._

_Terror electrified Anakin's blood, and he sprinted towards his master._

 

* * *

 

Anakin was released from his vision with a jerk, disoriented, seeing Satine's worried gaze hovering over him.

His breathing ragged, his eyes burning, his heart hurting so fiercely it was intensely physical, he met that gaze, and realized he was weeping.

Satine prodded him to his feet, pointing out the sound of gunships approaching.

They had to hide.  _ Now. _

Numbly, Anakin stumbled after Satine, turning the decision-making over to her.

A desperate race later, he crouched behind a rock outcropping, Satine beside him, her hand on the back of his neck, a protective gesture, her eyes clear and predatory as she watched for signs of pursuit.

Anakin wasn't sure he would survive this, or that he wanted to—

But the woman who had been entrusted with his care wasn't about to fail her love's request.

Though... she might not let him leave her direct supervision until he seemed quite a bit more stable.

Anakin could sense it all, and in his brokenness submitted... though he wasn't quite sure why the Duchess of Mandalore should care.

For now, it would have to be enough that she did, and he was hers to protect.

 

 

 


End file.
